During her time in the Love Island villa, Megan Barton-Hanson was judged for many things – her attitude to female friendships, her choice to have plastic surgery and her fashion choices were just a few we could mention.
However, nothing drew more judgement and prejudice to her than the revelation that she had once worked as a stripper and the fact that she had sex in the Love Island house on camera – two things which speak to the discrimination women who enjoy their sexuality still face.
The thing is, there is a huge double standard when it comes to judgement based on sexual history, as men as placed on a pedestal as skilful 'players' for engaging in high levels of sexual activity, while women are devalued and degraded, and told that their personal quality is based on their amount (or lack thereof) of sexual partners and a chaste detachment from sex.
'I think it's really unfair and an old fashioned way to look at it' she told Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain.
'I slept with guys on TV and people think I should be ashamed of it. I'm not. If a guy done it…'
'It’s 2018, if women want to do whatever they want with their body we should empower each other – it shouldn’t be like a put down. ‘I slept with people on TV and I feel like people want me to be ashamed of it and I’m not.’
Megan's words will resonate with many who have faced dehumanisation based on their past, but the words on her statement t-shirt spoke volumes – Stop Valuing Women Based On Their Sexual History.
The t-shirt is the creation of artist Florence Given , who uses her talent to create feminist print works which she posts to her popular Instagram account.
Posting about Megan wearing the t-shirt, Florence Given wrote: 'A feminist hero. I am in awe of her strength. Megan came out of the Love Island villa to find that the whole world had been ridiculing her not only for her experience as a stripper, but because of the procedures she has had to make herself feel comfortable in her own body.'
'‘Before’ pictures of Megan were circulating the internet to try and undermine her beauty, and were cruelly brought up full-screen on Good Morning Britain today. When will we let women just live and love themselves?
'We STILL bring up women’s sexual history in the media like it’s something they need to be ashamed of, forgetting that it takes TWO people to have sex. Where’s the shame for men?!'
'Thank you @meganbartonhanson_ for sticking it to Piers so bravely and telling the world that there is NOTHING shameful about sex work. Oh…and for wearing my words.'
Megan's t-shirt is now available for pre-order at www.florencegiven.com.
